Diabolik Fate
by anomaly.1
Summary: Dying isn't easy, but at least you only have to do it once. But reincarnation into Yui Komori and living to tell the tale? I think I might have preferred death. OC Reincarnation
1. A Rude Awakening

Disclaimer: I do not own Diabolik Lovers. If I did, I would be a sadist to girls everywhere.

**Chapter One: A Rude Awakening**

* * *

I died, plain and simple. Not with a bang, or even a whimper. I just died.

If someone were to ask me what death feels like, I would tell them that it hurts. A lot. Of course it hurts, at least, at first.

And after, they would ask? Well after, you feel nothing. It's all very comforting, drifting in between worlds as a soul.

And the question that has plagued humanity since we could think to ask it: life after? I can't answer that last question, and even if they deny wanting to know, I know they're curious.

The other side.

What does heaven look like? What does hell? Do they even exist?

I wouldn't know, because I didn't go where I was supposed to. So maybe I'm not the best dead person to ask. I can't even remember how I _died_.

All I can tell you is that I didn't stay dead for long.

* * *

It was dark, and I was confused. I had been trying to follow a light that ran from me the more I chased it. Farther and farther it disappeared, until I was all alone, blinded by the dark. But then I could hear a sound off in the distance of space, pulsing with something I remembered vaguely, like a word that's right on the tip of your tongue.

Life.

And then it stopped beating, and I could hear no more. Panic. The darkness was empty again. I follow the way where I think it came from, but there is no direction here, no path to find, no body to run with. Where was I going?

But still I try, reaching out without hands, grasping at a memory. And I'm dropped backwards, falling down and down, screaming but making no sound. Dragged and falling until I hit something with a hard shock and _become_ it. And suddenly I can _feel_.

Reality pricks my skin, buzzes around me, tingling with energy. It's loud and quiet and cold and warm. When you haven't felt for so long, you can't explain what feeling is. It just _is_.

_Ba-bump. Ba-bump._

Blood rushes through my body and something pulsates in the center of me, pushing me to live. It's beats and bumps inside of me, convulsing with wild jerks.

I have a heart. _Ba-bump._

I have a heart. _Ba-bump._

I have a _heart_.

I'm alive.

Cold air brushes against my exposed skin, the night air chilling. I take a deep breath as it flows into my lungs.

And I scream.

Only this time, I can hear it, piercing my senses with a crack as everything suddenly becomes all too real. Colds arms cradle me, rocking me lightly as I scream my heart out. Its still dark, I can't see. My eyes feel as if they have been stitched shut, like I've been asleep since forever.

"Until you awaken..." A voice comes from above me in a deep murmur. I stir, my eyes fluttering open. Light assails me from everywhere and I cry out, gurgling wordlessly as I shut them tightly.

I'm suddenly moving, and from cold I'm given to warmth. Immediately I settle down, burrowing into the warmth with a content sigh. Voices speak sounds without meaning back to each other. I can't understand their words, it's like it's another language. Sleep calls to me as my breathing smooths out into even whispers.

"Take care of her."

"I will." The arms holding me tighten, and I bury my face in them, clinging to the warm chest, the heat of life. The body carrying me sways, walking forward, and I feel sleepy.

"What should I name you, little one?"

A hand strokes my head gently. I reach out and grab the hand blindly, clinging to it weakly. His chest rumbles, chuckling as he tries to take it away.

"You don't give up easily, do you?" There is a smile in his voice.

"How about Yui then?" I yawn tiredly, pushing myself closer to his warmth as I relinquish my hold on his hand, satisfied with taking his pinky hostage. I open my eyes and see an unfamiliar face peering down at me curiously.

I blink rapidly, and a toothless smile spreads across my face. He smiles down at me, and I hide my face into his coat with a squeal.

He laughs. "Yui it is." I gurgle happily in his arms, closing my eyes as exhaustion seizes me and I fall into a long sleep.

I don't dream.

* * *

A/N: Hi there, **please read and review if you want more**. I'm planning to do a lot with this story, so longer chapters after this!

Yui is a great protagonist, by the way. If you've played the games, then you would know. Her internal monologues are hilariously sarcastic.

I have played/researched Diabolik Lovers, so I wanted to try my hand out on someone who had foreknowledge of the games and fell into Yui's life from the very beginning. It will make it that much more heartbreaking to see and experience her life. I have a plot going in my head, so don't worry and hang on for the ride.

And I'm going to go deep, I promise. :)

As for pairings, it's undecided for now. I want her to interact with the brothers firstly and get responses from you guys on where you think it should go after.


	2. Growing Up

Disclaimer: I do not own Diabolik Lovers. Rejet does, those beautiful bastards.

This chapter is the obligatory OC Yui history chapter and I needed to get it out of the way so things would make sense later on. It was a necessary evil; I apologize for the text overload.

*The Sakamaki's are next chapter. Also, the Mukami brothers will make an appearance in this story, so look out for it.

**Chapter Two: Growing Up**

-The more I love you,  
The more I would like to eat you.  
And once I become one with that body;  
Would this thirst, this ache, be healed?  
The closer I get,  
The steadily farther I become.  
I see you beyond a desert mirage,  
As if you were a faint illusion.

[Lord Richter]

* * *

I didn't gain awareness of my new life until around the age of 3 or 4. It was as if the rest of my life was a smudge on my brain. All I have are indistinct images, blurs. My memories of infant-hood were hazy, to say the least.

And that was just fine with me. Like I wanted to remember going through it, immobile and helpless as I was. The cycle of crying, eating, pooping, and sleeping. I definitely did not want to remember getting my diaper changed or being bathed by an absolute stranger. So in some ways, it was a small mercy within the hell I had been dropped into.

I just remember waking up one day from bed in the early morning, groggy, and toddling over to my father's room by instinct, waddling in my cottony pink pajamas.

And when I got there I just stared, transfixed, just looking at this man. I stared down at his sleeping face for a long time, tracing his features in my mind over and over again. It felt detached and intimate at the same time, this person, this place. So familiar, yet unfamiliar….

Something snapped in me, like a key turning into a lock.

_I woke up._

And naturally I screamed at the top of my lungs, waking my father instantaneously. With a yell, I ran to the bathroom—How did I know where it was?—my feet pattering hard on the wooden floor. Slipping on my socks, I stepped on the little stool squatted in front of the mirror and pulled myself up with struggling arms. Why was everything so damn tall?

I looked at my reflection and gasped.

In the mirror there was a little girl, maybe 4 years at most, with horror written across her face—she looked like she had seen a monster. With a trembling hand I reached out to touch the mirror, the girl doing the same. We stared at each other for what seemed forever, and my eyes began to sting painfully.

_This isn't real. This isn't real. This isn't real._

"Yui!"

The sleeping man appeared behind me in the mirror. My eyes widened and I jumped, drawing my hand away with a start as it fell limply to my side. He spun me around to face him, clutching my shoulders tightly.

He shook me lightly, his eyes searching my face. "What's wrong?" There was fear in his voice. I didn't respond, staring lifelessly ahead. My heart beat on in my chest.

I wasn't me, not anymore.

* * *

After that, I wasn't the same. At least my "father" thought I wasn't. I withdrew from him, trying to understand what was going on. I ignored his efforts to reach me, scared and confused, lost in my own body. I was a difficult child; I tried to ignore my adoptive "father" hoping he could take the hint and leave me alone. Everything I knew was lost, and in this other life I didn't have a mother and father. They abandoned me.

All I knew now was that I was dead—still cannot seem to remember how—and now I'm alive. How is that possible? I didn't understand everything at first. My name was Yui Komori. My father was a priest, and his name was Seiji Komori. We lived in Japan.

These could have been coincidences for all I knew. Would that be your first thought, that your life was based on a_ game_?

My mind fought against it, against myself, until I eventually fell sick. Yes, I made myself ill using only my mind apparently; my heart conflicted, my mind circling around and around until I collapsed one day in the middle of dinner. He panicked of course. I was diagnosed with mental fatigue and was prescribed rest and low stress activities.

And so he nursed me back to health. At first, I was cold to him. I refused medicine and spent the nights awake. But as time went on, I began to be more receptive to his approaches, the efforts he took with me. Seeing the genuine concern with which he took care of me, the affection he treated me with, my mind slowly began to accept him, and I began to love this person. He was my _father_, not my dad; that title belonged to my past.

With time our relationship healed and became stronger than ever.

Father had never hurt me; he raised me as his own when he didn't have to. He was a single parent, and I understood how difficult it was, especially as a man of faith. His job didn't exactly bring in the big bucks, and we subsisted on donations often.

He was busy as I grew up, and I has gotten used to his periodical absences. I had to learn to take care of myself, something I was never quite good at in my other life. I became rather adept at cooking, if I do say so myself. Something in me found the exercise soothing, almost meditative. From nothing, you can make anything. Things you didn't think would go well together, ingredients of all kinds, would come together into a single creation.

He didn't get much time off, so I treasured the times he _would_ be there.

The memories with him, I wouldn't give them away. I did my best to help him, to make our lives a little easier. We weren't poor; we were actually fairly middle class. And it was probably a good thing that it was just the two of us. But I didn't like asking for much, because I was genuinely happy for once. For what I was given, I wouldn't trade it for anything.

School was a different story. Naturally, I was more mature compared to my classmates. Even the teachers could feel it. And how could I not be? My mind was at the level of an undergraduate, trapped in the body of a child. Most kids could sense I was different, somehow. They kept away, leaving me to my own devices the majority of the time.

It didn't mean I wasn't lonely though. Sure, my thinking was at a higher level, but that didn't mean that I wasn't still a kid. I had emotions, just like any other human being. I would sit by myself at recess, book in hand, watching the other children play together, and loneliness would well into me. I had never felt so alone in the world when I watched others do what I wished I could do, to be normal and free. But I wasn't, so I didn't dare to act like I was.

I didn't have many friends in my early years, needless to say.

I applied myself in school, unlike in my previous life. It was a distraction. To my endless surprise (and humor), I was good at math. If this was fate's version of a joke, I wasn't complaining. Yui's brain was pretty smart, thankfully. I hated math with a passion before, but now it just made sense. It's kind of like how you hate certain foods as a kid, and as you grow, you start to gain a taste for the object of your hatred. Of course, the humanities and the sciences were always where my heart lies. I loved literature and history, pouring over books for hours in the school library, and science was naturally of interest to me.

I would return home running through the front door, clutching my A in my pudgy fingers with excitement. My father would smile at me and pat my head the way he always would, walking over to the fridge that held countless childhood scribbles and scrawled drawings. He would tack it to the front and step back, admiring it like it was art. Not trash, which is where I used to find them in my other life. And then he would nod to himself and say, "Ah, this looks good." looking down at me with pride and ruffling my short hair affectionately. My cheeks hurt, my smile was so wide. And then we would celebrate. He would make my favorite for dinner: takoyaki. After many years of traditional festivals, I had gained a taste for the delicious snack, much to my father's dismay. It was a rare event, since I didn't get out much. Father called it "street food", but I would give him those kicked puppy-dog eyes and he would cave, giving me what I wanted. I didn't use it often due to its power. Oh, that look did wonders for me.

In my old life, I was different. I lost hope and dragged myself through life unwillingly. I was lazy, I procrastinated—I was intelligent and I didn't have to study much to obtain good grades, but it was simply a hurdle I had to jump to achieve the life I wanted. I had friends, I had family, but I always felt alone. I mean, I wasn't all bad. I was cheerful and mature, wise beyond my years. I was usually the one who others often went to for advice, to keep a secret, to shoulder their emotional burdens. I never asked anything for myself in return, keeping my true feelings hidden.

At least until the end, when everything began to unravel. But the details are blurry to me. They slip through the crevices of my mind like sand, joining the mass of memories.

But one thing that stayed with me was my desire to help others. Foolish, right? How can someone who can't even help herself help another? I wanted to become a nurse. I wanted to heal the body and comfort the spirit. That hasn't changed about me. I told Father and he looked proud of my decision, helping my fellow man.

On a less serious note, I'm still as flat I was in my last life. That hasn't changed, ha-ha. I guess the fates really have it out for me. And apparently Yui doesn't actually have blonde hair and cotton candy pink eyes. I guess that would be too much of a stretch for reality. My literary side assumed that the artist's chose her design to visually represent her innocence.

So it would make it _that_ much worse when she was thrown to _them_ like a lamb to the slaughter.

Instead, I have dark brown hair and hazel eyes. But her eyes...they're different. They're so very warm, like liquid autumn, molten honey. Bright and vivid, thriving with life. I want to preserve that life. For all these years, I still felt like a stranger in my own body. I had stolen life, and now it was my responsibility to protect it. I can't stop thinking about my old life whenever I'm alone, trying to concentrate on my memories of the old me. But my memories are fading, falling through my hands and disappearing like foam, and there is nothing I can do about it. I'm scared. I don't want to forget, but it's getting worse every day.

I can't control it, and it frightens me.

Whenever I try to remember my mother's face, I can't. It's all vague, snatches of memory that don't fit together. I can't remember her laugh, full and high, like it came from her very soul. I miss having a mother that I could confide in, that could hold me close whenever my world toppled down, who when I was sick would baby me with a maternal touch; someone to console and love me without discrimination, because she was my mother. She was kind, strict and stubborn, strong yet vulnerable, needy and selfless. She would never abandon me, no matter what situation I put myself in.

I might be a masochist, torturing myself with my old memories the way I do. I remember the most random of things—like their phone numbers. Sometimes I would call those numbers when Father was away, listening to the phone ring and ring on forever. And then the dial tone, the robotic voice telling me that the number doesn't exist. But I know it does. We're just living in two different realities. Alternate reality, it's called. I can't think they don't exist in this world though, in some form or another, together or separate. It would drive me crazy thinking about it, so I try not to.

I wonder if she misses me. I wonder if any of them miss me. This world and that are one in the same, so similar it was frightening, but here I was Komori Yui. Yui, I, bloomed like a flower; love and care were my sun and water. Living this life, I finally understand why Yui was the way she was. Just like _them_—_can't say their names, my mind won't accept it_—I was nurtured to become the person I was. I do believe that we have an intrinsic soul, but I also believe that the soul can be twisted by life, molded into something different. I was proof of that, after all. _They_ could have been so much more different. I mean, look at me?

I failed reincarnation roulette, and now I'm here. I never believed in the idea, but how else do you explain it? You would think it was a nightmare, but I still couldn't wake up. But my father was the light in the darkness, the bond that held me together in this new life. And perhaps I didn't believe in God the way the Church did, but I still believed. I knew it, I felt it. There had to be something to believe in.

Father can't even comprehend the things I think about, the things I know. He doesn't know that I am aware that I was adopted, that he isn't my biological father. I'm afraid to tell him, rather than him being afraid to tell me. Of course I don't want to hurt his feelings, but it runs much deeper than that. I can't tell him, because what if he gets angry and sends me away once I know the truth? Will he give me up? What if I'm taken to _them_? It keeps me awake at night, guilt and fear troubling my dreams. So to live happily on, I kept my mouth shut and lived in pretended ignorance. Ignorance is bliss, right?

And sometimes, I lock myself in my room and listen to the heart beating inside me for hints of change, anything to signal I was anything but normal. But nothing changed.

It remains as steady as ever, and I'm almost disappointed. It's that feeling you have right before doing something you know is dangerous, when your fear is at its climax, and after confronting it for yourself, no matter how scary, you're relieved. But this, this thing inside of me that allows me to live? It's like a ticking bomb, only no one knows when it will explode. And because of that, I'm nervous all the time, patting my chest, feeling my pulse for any irregularities.

I've even researched vampires to get a response, checking out books from the library in my early years before the internet, then switching over to the web in my later years. For Halloween, I dressed as a vampire for our school's events. The fangs, the works. Most thought I was cosplaying, and I ended up getting a few compliments though that obviously wasn't my aim. I thanked them, but inside I was disappointed. Changing myself on the outside didn't work.

Father's eyes were so wide that day when I came home from school, I remember. He was not happy with me. I was sent to my room and made to change, fearing that I was going through a rebellious phase. He couldn't tell I was playing a vampire, which I was grateful for. I assured him I wasn't, it was just my costume.

_"You know we don't celebrate Halloween, Yui." he said sternly, crossing his arms over his chest. I winced at his tone. I didn't need another lecture on how Halloween was the devil's holiday._

_"I wasn't celebrating Halloween, Father! It was for a school project." I appealed to him. My eyes shined with innocence. When in doubt, use school as an excuse. He only looked at me doubtfully, but eventually let it go._

I think he had his eye on me since then for another outbreak of abnormal behavior, afraid I was going to go Marilyn Manson on him. No worries there, Father.

I did anything you can think of to trigger a response, to make sure I'm not imagining everything. I waited and waited. So far, nothing has happened, my self-experimentation attempts all failures. Life went on peacefully, mercifully uneventful. My plans were abandoned, shoved into my mental attic and gathering dust.

I didn't look back.

* * *

The day the news came was a dark one, the skies overcast with clouds. The school bell rang its little song, a sea of students flowing out of the front doors. I was walking out the front with gate with Mayumi, umbrellas in tow. It was raining lightly, trickling over our heads with light _plops_. The feeling of rain was nostalgic, the water pouring over our heads. I looked over to the girl chatting animatedly at my side, a memory playing in my mind; it was "raining", just like this.

_We met in middle school; I was sitting by myself at lunch on the first day, opening my self-made bento box when I heard a scuffle outside. Students peered out of their classrooms, trying to get in on the action. I wasn't interested in watching people hurt each other, but I was curious all the same. Who started a fight on the first day of school? I looked out into the hallway. Girls lined the hallway in a throng, jeering at one lone girl caught in the middle, the eye of the storm. My mind quickly put two and two together; they were bullying her. She stood up straight, raising her face to meet the eyes of her tormentors defiantly. I felt an inexplicable swell of pride at seeing this one girl fighting her way through, a true underdog. No one went to her aid, no one called for help, but she was fighting back strong with all the eyes stabbing into her._

"_You think you're such hot stuff, huh? We all know you for what you are!" The rest of the girls cheered, hurling insults at her. She stood her ground, but I could see her wilt visibly at their cruel remarks._

"_You don't deserve to go this school. Just leave." I couldn't believe that this was happening. What was this, some shoujo manga reject? If I went to her right now, I would only be given the same treatment. I wasn't afraid of it, but I didn't want to put myself in that situation. So I did something I never thought I would do, in all my years of trying my best to keep off of the radar of everyone around me. I didn't care about the legitimacy of their claims, or even the fact that she was a stranger. I knew it was none of my business to butt in._

_No one deserved to be treated like that. I was helpless once, too. I wouldn't let it happen to someone right in front of me, not when I could do something about it._

_I pushed past the crowd of students watching from the door, shoving aside the bodies in my way, and slipped away from the scene indiscreetly. Everyone's eyes were on the scene up front anyways. I stopped in front of the fire alarm hidden at the corner of the hallway. I looked back, and with just a moment of hesitation, pulled the handle with my sleeve. Water streamed down from the ceiling as girls screamed simultaneously, scattering away as they tried to protect their hair. Makeup melted down their faces like wax. I hurried back, blending into the panicked crowd seamlessly. The hallway was empty. Laughter rang out in front of me, and I turned my head to see the girl from before in the same place as before, staring at me. We were the only two in the hall and as the water fell down between us, she smiled brightly at me, _like she knew_. A smile tugged at my lips despite myself, and for the first time in a long time I felt free._

_And ever since, we had been inseparable._

I shake my head of the memory, focusing on the present."Sorry, I can't hang out today." I was telling her. I had to leave early to run to the super market and grab some groceries for Father—we were running low. Our rain boots squeaked with each step, tromping through the puddles on the ground.

"What?! You can't be serious!" She groans dramatically, hanging her head in despair. I grin, patting her back patronizingly. Father had been getting busier with Church activities lately, so I had to cover for him on my own more often than not.

She glares at me for a moment, before sighing in defeat. "Fine, fine. I see how it is." Pulling away from me she skips ahead, splashing through puddles as her long hair flies about her. A smile curls on her lips as she walks backwards through the rain, a bounce in her step. "Don't forget to call me later, okay!"

"I won't!" I shout, cupping my hands around my mouth. She grins widely, waving so spasmodically I'm afraid her hand will fly off. "See ya later then, loser!" Tossing me a final smirk, she spins around and runs off into the rain. I watch her until down the corner, out of sight in an instant.

I shake my head, smiling fondly to myself at her antics. We were still friends, even after all these years. Through all the changes life gave, our friendship was the one thing that never did. And for that, I was eternally grateful.

I finally arrive home; twisting the key into the lock, I shove the door open with my body, panting as I'm weighed down by the grocery bags held in both hands. I lug them past the living room, heaving. My arms strain to make the last few steps to the kitchen.

"Phew!" I drop the bags on the kitchen floor without adieu, stretching my fingers out. Crescent shaped red marks line my hands. Ouch. I sigh, rolling my shoulders around as I hear a pop. I worked up a bit of sweat, walking all the way from store and back.

Changing quickly into my home clothes, unattractive sweats, I wear my bulbous DJ inspired headphones and work on putting away all the groceries into their proper spots. Music blares into my ears. Leaving only those that I need to make dinner with, I wring my hands out and smile, the ingredients spread out before me on the counter like ready soldiers. I hum to the music pouring into my ears, dancing and wiggling my body in place as I cook. The house was empty except for me.

Father wasn't home yet, so I had some time to myself. The church was a little ways from here, but he insisted on walking no matter how much I urged him to take the car, or at least a bike! He was getting older now, and I didn't want him to strain himself. Plus, it was raining hard now from the light shower from before, pounding into the ceiling like bullets.

I can already hear him. _"I can take care of myself, Yui."_ he would say, the corners of his eyes crinkling as he gazed at me tenderly. _"You already do so much._" I shake my head, frowning with worry. I hope he at least took an umbrella with him.

A loud hurried knock comes at our aged wood door, loud enough that I can hear it through my phones'. I pop them off automatically, looking over my shoulder as I wipe my hands with a towel at my side. I walk over to the door curiously. I remember my father's warning to always look before opening. Stranger danger rules, as I liked to call them. The world isn't as safe as you think, he would tell me. Like I needed the reminder, but it was nice to be worried after.

I look into the little eye hole. There were men I had never seen before standing outside. They were looking around every so often uneasily, as if scared. They wore cloaks, hooded cowls hiding their faces from view.

Definitely suspicious.

My heart flies in my chest as I think of what to do. Who are these guys? I've never seen anyone like them before in my life. I was suddenly reminded of a horror movie I saw with Mayumi one night at her house, huddled in blankets, clutching each other behind our fortress of pillows. The plot revolved around a religious cult who kidnap virgin girls for sacrificial rituals. It didn't have a happy ending.

Could it be? No way. My mind was going wild with fear now, and I tried to reason with it. Who knows, they could be innocent men who shrouded themselves from the public? Unless my father was involved in other things I didn't know about.

Yeah, I don't want to think about that.

My cellphone vibrates in my pocket. I fish it out, my hand fumbling with the buttons on my old Nokia. I press the phone to my ear, glancing out the window.

"Father?" Static sounds in my ear, the line scratchy. He must be outside.

"Yui, are you home yet?" Droplets hit something incessantly, so I assume I'm right.

"Yes, I'm home. Where are you?" I look behind myself anxiously. The men are still behind the door,

"I'm on the way. Yui, is there something wrong?" I bite my lip, was I that obvious? He always was way too perceptive of me. I'm suddenly grateful for my father's parental intuition.

"There…there are strange men outside, wearing cloaks. I've never seen them before."

He shocks me by chuckling with relief. "They're from the Church, a far off branch. I'll be home soon, so let them in."

My common sense was tingling, and it was saying NO. Teenage girl, letting in grown men who look like they came from the Medieval era? No thanks.

"Are you sure, Father? They're…kind of weird." I say, staring at the door uncertainly. That was putting it lightly.

"Of course, don't worry. I'll be home soon, I love you." The line clicks, going dead. Slowly, my hand drops and I pocket my phone, hand clenched around it to whip it out if necessary.

I close my eyes and breath in, opening the door wide. I cross my arms in front of my chest self-consciously as their heads jerk forward in surprise. I'm still in my sweats, and I don't have a bra on since I usually take it off whenever I get home. Not that there's anything to look at, since I'm practically a wall.

The one in the front clears his throat, coughing. "Is there a Komori Seiji here?" My eyes narrow at the familiar way they refer to my father, the obvious lack of honorific. Were they close?

"Yes, that's my father. Who are you?" I say slowly, trying to keep my poise.

"We are associates of your father's Church. May we come in?" He gestures towards the door, not skipping a beat.

Father gave the okay, but still….I don't get a good feeling from them. Never underestimate women's intuition, believe me.

Thunder booms outside, and the rain becomes a curtain of water, tapping the roof insistently. It's a storm. I sigh, cursing my kindness as I move aside to give them space to enter. They shuffle inside, silent except for the squeak of boots against our floor. Water trails behind them as I close the door shut, the storm brewing stronger than ever. The windows shake and the house creaks.

We stand there awkwardly. A nervous laugh falls from my mouth. "Um, you can wait here until he gets back. Make yourselves comfortable!" I motion towards the living room casually, mentally floundering under the weight of their quiet, my nerves abuzz. They nod as one entity, gliding in the direction I pointed.

Freaky.

Thinking quick to get out of this situation, I ask a little too loudly if they would like some tea since its cold outside, and they are quiet. I just excuse myself, hands clenched at my sides. I start the tea, water boils in the kettle as I think to myself the reason for their appearance.

I had lived happily until now, and so the worry from before had dissolved after years, shoved into the back of my mind as they were replace with memories of father, school, Mayumi. Empty plans to escape were forgotten. It was like a dream, it couldn't happen. Father wouldn't...my hands tremble. He loves me, he wouldn't do something like abandon—

The familiar sound of the front door unlocking with that same rusty click. "Yui!" I don't realize that I was about to cry until I spin around, tears springing to my eyes at my father's voice, worried just like I've heard it a million times. Father...!

Sniffling I wipe my eyes hurriedly, my face blotchy. Half-running, half-walking I hurry out to meet him, tea forgotten. His eyes widen as I rush into his arms, warm despite the chill of outside, holding him almost desperately. His arms come around me automatically. My heart calms immediately, beating regularly as I breathe in his familiar scent of laundered cotton. I wrap my arms around him tightly.

"Yui, what's wrong?" He asks his voice soft with concern. His large hand strokes the top of my head gently as I cling to him for comfort as I did as a child, waiting patiently for me to answer him.

I can feel the stares of the hooded men in the other room boring into us. Swallowing, I peel myself away from my father's arms reluctantly. "We have guests." I say slowly, stepping away.

He looks over to our living room and his eyes harden. The fear in my heart returns at the expression.

He smiles politely at the men assembled, though his eyes are cold. "Yui, why don't you bring us that tea?" His smile doesn't reach his eyes.

As if detached from my body, I can feel myself nodding from a distance. I turn to go to the kitchen with heavy steps. My palms are sweaty and slick as I numbly pour the tea into individual glasses on a tray. I gaze at my reflection in the glasses, blurry with ripples. What is going on? I shake my head, denying the dark thoughts lurking in my head. There's no way. No way.

Wisps of steams escape from the mugs as I struggle to hold the tray up with both arms, my foot one step from entering the living room.

"The Church...we need ..._them_."

I stop in my tracks. What were they talking about? I take a quiet step back from the entry, pressing myself against the wall to hide myself from their sight. I lean heavily as my head rests against the wall, the tray balanced precariously in my hands. My arms shake, the glasses clinking together.

My father's voice raises, muffled by the barrier between us. It's his stern tone, the one I found myself on the other end of whenever I did something stupid. I press my ear closer to the wall.

"Europe?"

"Yes. You will need to leave soon and—"

"No." My father's voice cuts in starkly. "Get someone else to do it then. I will not leave my daughter here alone."

Alone? He isn't...leaving, is he? And to Europe, no less? He has never left me alone for too long, and he has never had to leave to somewhere so far away. Why now? Suspicion creeps into my mind. It can't be….

"She will not be alone. We have already arranged for her to be taken care of personally. We can assure her safety there." Another man speaks up, a sympathetic quality underlying his tone.

I can almost hear my father's frown. "I can't—"

I can hear a chair scrape against the wooden floor. " You know what you have to do, Seiji." A man's voice intones strictly, his tone final.

My stomach churns, my throat dry. He won't leave me alone, I tell myself, clutching the tray tightly. My knuckles are white under my skin.

"I..." My ears strain to hear his response. "I...will do it."

What?

With a mechanical jerk, I push myself from the wall. No, this can't be happening. If he leaves, I will...

"Yui?"

My head snaps up. My father is standing in front of me, confused. My mind is muddled as I try to collect myself.

"F-Father." I can't stop shaking. I gulp empty air as I try to explain why I was hiding behind the wall. I was in no way listening to their secret conversation about me, of course not! Ha-ha-ha...

"I, I have the tea!" Forcing a smile on my face, I inject false cheer into myself as I hold up the tray for him to see. The tea has gone cold by now. His face doesn't change as he takes a slow step closer. With a gentle tug, he takes the tray from me. It slips easily from my hands.

"Are you alright? Do you feel sick?" His face is fixed with worry, his eyes upset. Usually I would get an instant guilt trip whenever I made him wear that expression, but right now I can't feel anything at all. I keep my head down, my eyes trained on his black leather loafers that he's been wearing for years now, worn from age and use.

"I'm fine. I'm just tired from school today." I lie hoarsely, shifting uncomfortably as I finally meet his eyes. He shifts the tray to one hand as his other come up to rest against my forehead. My eyes flutter at the familiar touch. His forehead wrinkles in concern. "Your temperature is normal."

I don't feel normal at all anymore.

I push his hand away lightly. "I told you I'm fine." I mumble.

The floorboards creak as the shuffling of feet sounds, and we turn our heads, the hooded men appearing behind us. The one in the front—the leader, I'm assuming—waves his hand curtly at the tray full of tea. "That will not be necessary now, thank you."

Father turns to the men with a controlled expression. "You are leaving?" His tone is carefully blank.

They nod in unison, bobbing their heads. "Yes, there are other matters that we must attend to now."

_Other lives to ruin, perhaps?_ I think bitterly, glaring at their shadowed faces. With a final bow, they excuse themselves and slink past. The door slams shut with a deadening bang. We're left in tense silence.

I look to Father, who hasn't said anything since they've left. His face has darkened. I can't reach his thoughts.

I place a hand on his arm, afraid of his silence. "Father?" I murmur, trying to snap him out of it. The tray falls from his hands and crashes to the ground. Tea spills out of broken glass, spreading over the floor.

"Father!" With a gasp, I run to the kitchen, taking care to walk around the broken glass on the ground. I come back with a broom and dustpan. My father is standing in the same place as before, unnaturally still. Guilt attacks me as I set aside the cleaning instruments slowly, approaching him with tentative steps. I stand in front of him.

He raises his head, haunted. As if he were looking at something far away that I couldn't see. I swallow my thoughts. "Father...?" I inquire softly, tugging on his sleeve hesitantly.

He jolts under my hand and looks at me, light returning to his eyes. I sigh in relief. "Are you okay, Father?"

"Yui? I..." He looks around himself in surprise, at the pieces of glass strewn across the floor, the tea pooling at his feet.

I try to brush off his concern, grinning timidly. "It's alright!" He looks at my hand on his arm and brings his own over mine, holding tightly in his own. His hand shakes. "You're too good of a daughter to me." His voice cracks.

I hate when he does this, because I get all emotional too. "It wasn't hard. You're a good father." My throat tightens as the words fly from my mouth. "I'm proud that you're my father." And it's true, no matter what happens. My eyes begin to water.

I whirl around, blinking rapidly as I study the damage done, hands on my hips. This might take a while to clean up. My eyes drift longingly to the kitchen. My stomach growls.

I look at Father. "How about some dinner?" I suggest, and he blinks at me in surprise and laughs, chasing away the remaining silence. I smile back and we head to the kitchen, chatting loudly about our day, the usual conversations, the same home-cooked meals. He doesn't talk about the men. I don't bring it up either, and we both pretend to ignore it.

And everything is normal again, even though it isn't.

* * *

I fall back on my bed with a content sigh, my stomach full. I stare up at the ceiling and glance around. It's the same room I've lived in since I was a child. Plain walls, plain floor, a bed with pink comforters. My father's cross that he had bought for my birthday sits at the edge of my bed, gleaming in the light.

What am I going to do? I blow away a strand of hair that's fallen into my face, my heart thumping with anxiety. Slumping over with a moan, I bury my face into my pillow. I hug it to my chest for comfort.

_This is happening. It's _really _happening. _Nausea rolls inside me, and I try not to gag. I couldn't believe it. My father knows. And he's just going to let me go, to that house full of...

But I can't bring myself to hate him, the memories won't let me. Maybe I will with time, but I can't right now. It's stupid, irrational, and I am fully justified in hating him.

But I can't. All I can see is my father, not the man who will send me away to die.

My mind was trying to bridge two different worlds in a short span of time, and it just would not compute. I can't tell if I'm lucky or unlucky for knowing about Diabolik Lovers. Knowing that your fate was set for you, knowing what you would have to go through before you had to go through it, and killing yourself over that knowledge every day.

I might have an advantage, knowing about events, about characters (I refused to consider them real), past histories. But would it really help me out there? This…this was reality, as much I didn't want to believe it.

I really would have been Yui if I didn't play the games, ignorant to my new life. It would have all been an unfortunate twist of fate.

But I do know, and now there's no point in dabbling in the hypothetical. I want to change things for the better, but how much can I change really? And what if those changes do more bad than good?

For now though, I'm content with just knowing. And hey, at least I can plan ahead?

* * *

He broke the news to me that same week, so I decided to go through with my plan. He's leaving to Europe tomorrow, and I'm expected to go off on my merry way to meet those, those _people. _My heart can't stop pounding at the thought, the vile thing.

Time had run out when I wasn't looking.

"Father..." I begin, fidgeting as I stand before him in his study. He sits in his usual reclining chair, looking up from his Bible. "Where are your bags?" He asks impatiently, giving me a disapproving look. That would have worked while I was younger, but not anymore, I think with a flare of defiance.

"They're in my room."

"Then what are you doing up? You need your rest for tomorrow." His eyes fall back to the scripture held in his hands, closing the subject. My eyes narrow and I have to resist the urge to scoff. He sounds like he cares, but who would send their daughter to such a place if they were a father?

No father would. Bitterness coats my tongue in acid.

My voice raises to be heard. "Father, I think there are a few options you haven't considered here." His eyes raise over the book clutched in his hand. I swallow the saliva that had accumulated in my mouth, keeping my tone even. "Why can't I stay home? I've always taken care of myself whenever you were gone. The house will fall apart without me here, you know it!"

He sighs tiredly, setting aside his book. "That isn't possible."

I try again. "You don't want me to be home alone, right? I'll stay with Mayumi for a little while, just until you get back from your trip." I begin to babble, the words spilling out of me like a flood. "Her parents love me and always ask to have me over—"

"Enough, Yui!" He snaps, shocking me. I flinch. I've never heard him this angry before in my life.

He must have seen the hurt on my face because he quickly apologizes, speaking gently. "I'm sorry, Yui. It just can't be done. You will only be a burden on Mayumi's family, you know that."

And I do, but in this case, I'm sure they would have taken me in...

Earlier this week, I had planned to work for a friend's family as a live-in babysitter for their baby son. It was going to be rent-free, since I was paying with my services. It seemed like it was going to work out, everything was set and ready to go, but at the last minute they cancelled.

_"Hello?" I say, holding my phone to my ear as clothes lie strewn all around my bedroom floor. My rolling bag sits on the floor, empty._

_"Oh, Yui-chan!"_

_"Yoshino-san, how are you?" I ask brightly, smiling. I was so grateful to this woman, you have no idea. It's funny how something small can save you._

_"I'm fine..." Her voice trails off. The line is silent. I quirk a brow, holding up a top. Should I bring it...? I wrinkle my nose lightly before dropping it into the growing pile next to my feet._

_"Yoshino-san?" I inquire absently, glaring at my suitcase. There was no way everything was going to fit in there..._

_"Ah! Um, Yui-chan, I don't think it will work out."_

_What?_

_The phone slips from my hand, hitting the floor with a thud._

_"Yui-chan? Are you_ _still there? Yui-chan?"_

_I drop to the ground quickly, picking it up. "M-May I ask why, Y-Yoshino-san? My voice wavers._

_"..."_

_"Yoshino-san?"_

_Beep. Beep. Beep._

_The line goes dead._

I tried calling back, but I kept getting voice-mail. She sounded nervous, now that I think about it. Could something have happened?

I must have been staring off into space, because when I return my father is talking "….Yui, everything I do is for your sake. You know that." He rubs his temples in exasperation.

My temper ignites like righteous fire, outraged. "So you'll leave me alone here for _my_ sake? You're passing me off to complete strangers for _my_ sake?"

"…." He stares at me wide-eyed, stunned into silence. Pain etches onto his features. I avert my eyes.

It's the same conversation from before, repeated all over again. I don't enjoy arguing with him like this, but this is my _life_. I can't help but be resentful.

"It isn't, is it?" My glower fades, my anger draining into exhaustion. I smile sadly at my father, gazing into those eyes that once looked at me so kindly, so he can see the love in mine. I can see him gulp visibly, still as a statue and just as cold. Bowing my head, I excuse myself and leave the room, shutting the door behind me softly. My back leans against the door as I gaze heavenward. I'm out of alternatives. There's nowhere else to go. What's the point?

I could run away, but where would I go while Father is watching me? I don't know if he has any other relatives I can stay with, and if he does, I've never heard from them. I doubt that would work, regardless. They're probably in on it too, if they exist.

And just leaving is out of the question; a young woman, alone and lost, can get into all sorts of trouble these days. Prostitution, homeless, jobless, and only 16. What kind of jobs could they give a 16 year old that would pay for her entire livelihood? Not many, unless you're willing to let go of your morality. And that incident...I have a feeling that there was something going on behind-the-scenes with Yoshino-san. Are they keeping me from running?

I know running is futile. I will still have this heart in me, no matter where I go, no matter how far I run. I can run to the ends of the earth and never be safe. I don't want to accept it, I don't. But I know it's real, and I can't blind myself any longer.

I've felt eyes on me more and more these days, like I'm being watched. It's unnerving, knowing that someone is following you around, observing your every move from the shadows. I'm stuck. Trapped on all sides, unable to move forward on my own, nor able to move backwards. If this were chess, I would be in a bind. I can't run. I can't hide. I can't blind myself. I knock my head against the door lightly, listening to the inside of the study. It's silent.

I want to cry out so bad, scream and fight, but I've already exhausted all my tears the night before. There is no escape to this destiny, is there? It's my fate to go there, isn't it?

And finally, finally, I let myself think of them. It's like a wall falling down in my head—for the first time in my life, I allowed myself to acknowledge their existence on the other side. It's pointless to try to forget now, when my fate is staring me in the face. If I don't go, then what will become of them? Will they continue their immortal existence, just moving through life the same as before? There's something sad about that that I can't explain to myself.

Yui's—my—story was not some miraculous tale about the power of love changing a person. I doubt I can, she had a hard enough time herself! What makes me think I can do anything? I hold no expectations of the kind. The most I would be able to do is survive, being me. If anyone could see me now, they would call me crazy. And maybe I am for going along with this.

But...there is no choice now. I have to go now, the clock strikes midnight, the hour glass has emptied, and I have no options. My fate has unwound, and all I can do is follow it wherever it may go. I don't know what i'll become at the end of everything.

I'm going, whether I want to or not.

* * *

A/N: I hope you liked this chapter, however word heavy it is! Please read and review if you did enjoy it!


	3. Delivered

Disclaimer: I do not own Diabolik Lovers. Rejet, home of psycho vampires, does.

The journey begins here. We finally get to see the mansion, or at least part of it. Brothers (finally) and school next time!

*As for pairings, someone mentioned they wanted to see the either a "harem" ending, or Mukami pairing. I have no set pairing yet, but rest assured that everyone will get their time in the sun. Or should I say, night? I want to cycle through, explore everyone before settling on something. I have a plot to connect things between games, no worries!

**Chapter Three: Delivered**

I prithee send me back my heart,  
Since I cannot have thine;  
For if from yours you will not part,  
Why, then, shouldst thou have mine?

[John Suckling]

* * *

It's a bright day, the sun illuminating the world with radiant light in a forever blue sky—eternally oblivious to humanity below.

"Follow the directions I gave you, Yui. Don't stray, alright?" I wait outside on the front doorstep, facing my father who is standing in the doorway in his priest's robes, the door open behind him. He said he would be leaving after me; apparently his flight was later.

Or so he told me.

I wear a comfortable long sleeve shirt and slim fitted jeans with ankle boots, completely covered up. I don't bother to wear anything showing skin. My hair falls loose to my shoulders in careless waves. My travel bag rests ready at my side. I was only permitted to take one in the end; more like allowed to by the one who arranged all this.

Father pats the top of my head, ruffling my hair into disarray. I can't help but feel like a dog he's petting.

_Yui, obey. Yui, stay. Yui, fetch. Yui, go to the house of homicidal vampires. Good girl!_

Playing dead wouldn't be that hard to do, considering that I already am. Has it always been like that...? And I never noticed? Or did I just delude myself into thinking that everything was alright, wanting it to be? I brush his hand away from me, ignoring the look of hurt on his face.

_It's an act, it's an act, it's_ all_ an act._

"I understand." I hear myself say. I look away sharply, avoiding his eyes. I can't bear to look into them, knowing what I know. What else can I say at this point? There isn't anything I can say that would make a difference. He told me as much last night.

There are no more words.

"Yui..." He falters. I can hear the weariness in his voice, dragging him down with every breath.

I peek at his face from beneath my bangs. "Remember..."

"Yes?" I ask hopefully. Inside I'm pleading with him to him to take it back. Hold me like when I was young. Tell me that everything will be alright. Just...please don't send me away like this. With a lie.

It would have been better if he let me loose from the very beginning instead of this charade. So I wouldn't have to become attached.

He stops mid-sentence, like he's changed his mind. He sighs, averting his eyes from me. "...to get there safely."

My face falls in disappointment. I have to swallow to speak, licking my chapped lips. "Is...Is that all?" I'm so stupid. What was I expecting? Some last minute miracle? Miracles are hard to come by these days. I'm no exception.

He nods stiffly. "It won't do anyone any good if you were to get hurt on your way there."

On the way there, my mind echoes numbly. I was free game when I got there, is what he's saying. He's cutting me loose.

I stare at my boots, stale tears filling my eyes. No. No crying. No tears. He won't understand why I'm crying, and it will only serve to make me look more suspicious.

I have to carry this secret to the grave, which may just be waiting for me at the end of this.

"A-alright." I lean over to grab my bag, pulling out the handle with a snap. My fingers curl around it, gripping it tightly like its holding me to the earth. I take a glance past him, trying to memorize the house as I remember it. The hallways I ran up and down in my socks, sliding and slipping around. My father's study, curled up in the sunlight to read another book. The kitchen, never to cook another meal in its walls. My room, the place I could be alone, dreaming for something more.

Not something like this.

Sniffling quietly, I look up at Father one last time. A lone tear falls from my eye, trailing down the side of my face. It's warm and wet against my skin. I smile.

"I love you, Father." His eyes widen and he opens his mouth as if say something, but I turn my back to him before he can say a word. Clutching the rosary around my neck to my heart, I step away from the door, leaving him and the house I once knew behind me forever.

* * *

"The train to..."

I sit alone on a metal bench in the middle of the busy station. People from all around hurry past me in different directions, bustling noisily through the crowd. An automated voice calls out various destinations I will probably never get to see. My eyes have gone dry. Headphones rest over my ears as music pumps into my brain, surging down my synapses and alighting my senses with the only color in the gray world around me.

But its only background noise to my thoughts. I slump over in my seat, tapping my foot restlessly against my bag on the floor as I wait for my train to arrive.

My Nokia shakes angrily in my lap. I glance at it half-heartedly. The screen flashes a name at me: MAYUMI.

Uh-oh. I flip it open.

"Hello?"

"You just left without saying goodbye? Do you know how awkward it is to find out from _class _that your best friend is gone? Do you?!"

I wince, holding the phone away from my ear as her voice reaches inhuman pitches. Ah, Mayumi. Good to hear from you too.

"I'm sorry." I mutter, hoping she'll buy it.

She huffs, clearly not accepting of my half-assed apology "That's not good enough, Yui! Why didn't you tell me anything?"

"It's...complicated?" I offer lamely, knowing there was no way I could ever explain the situation. Not if I wanted to live, at least.

Her voice softens into a near-whisper. "Why wouldn't you tell me? I thought we were friends."

Oh, she's pulling out the friend card. Damn it. I swallow through the knot that's built up in my throat from her words. I don't want to lose her, not after everything. If I can keep one thing in this world, please let it be her. "You always were a good friend." I manage to say at last.

"Stop making it sound like I'm never going to see you again." she snaps at me. That's close enough to the truth, though. She has no idea how right she is.

I hear her sigh in exasperation. "There's obviously something going on, but I respect you enough to let it go...for now." I make to protest, but the sound dies in my mouth. That doesn't bode well. God forbid she ever knows the truth, not if I can help it.

A bell chimes in the distance—the school bell. I would have been there with her today, if not for everything. It would have all just been another boring day, going through the same old things I already know. "I'll text you back, breaks' over. You better pick up, or else!" She threatens without malice.

"Yes, yes." I agree easily, trying to put her at ease. But I can't let go of the conversation. I gulp audibly, forcing my voice to work.

"...Mayumi? Don't give up on your dream, alright? Forget about what anyone else says."

I can hear her pause. "I won't Yui, I promise." After a beat, "And don't you forget about yours either. You're going to be one sexy nurse one day, for sure!" I bet she has a perverted face on right now, I can practically picture her waggling her eyebrows at me. I choke back laughter, but I feel like crying. It's almost like she's right here with me.

Her tone turns serious for once. "Keep fighting, Yui. We'll get there one day."

Fight...?

"—I'll visit you, okay? Talk to you later!" My eyes widen. "Wait, Mayumi, you can't—!" The call cuts off.

I stare at my phone for a while, silent. Well, crap. She said she's going to visit me, but if she comes to see me...no. I can't pull anyone else into my problems. I'll just text her to not come and—oh, who am I kidding? She would fight off Cerberus at the Gates of Hell to get me back. A sob breaks through me, and I have to cover my mouth to hold it in. Tears drift in my vision. That stupid girl, coming to rescue me. It can't happen, I won't allow it. I'm keeping her safe this way.

Can I actually do this to myself? I know I've thought it through, and I know that there isn't a way out; at least not without death in the equation. But now that I'm actually going through with it, can you really blame me for having second thoughts? It's terrifying, knowing that I'm going to meet them face-to-face. Or neck-to-fang. There's no fourth wall, no screen to act as a barrier between me and them. Everything is too real.

Reality hits me hard. The fluorescent lights above me shine harshly on everything, bleaching my vision pale and sickly. My head pounds, dizzy. _Oh god, oh god, oh god._

Something touches my shoulder, interrupting my imminent breakdown. "Excuse me?" I jump in my seat, looking behind myself in shock.

A woman—no, an angel—stands before me. Her hair flows from her head like pale moonbeams, her body in perfect proportion. And her face is just a work of art, as if God carved it himself and let her fall to Earth. An amethyst gaze peers at me serenely, waiting for my response.

I take my headphones off, letting them rest around my neck. I clear my throat self-consciously. "Um, can I help you?"

A small smile graces her lips. "If it's not too forward of me, may I sit here? My train is around this area." She asks in a velvet whisper, gesturing to the open seat

Feeling flustered, I wave my hand hastily. "I don't mind at all. Go ahead." Her smile widens and I'm reminded of when I had once stayed up to watch the sun rising in the morning. It's like dawn breaking through night, and I have to blink to clear my head. She dips her head to me in a graceful motion and takes the seat next to me, crossing her legs elegantly.

I probably look like the ugly duckling to her bird of paradise. I don't know if listening to my music will be counted as rude when there's someone who is sitting beside me, so I do nothing, staring ahead at the sea of people.

Right now, I wish I was one of them. To have the freedom to go where I please, and return home safe at the end of my adventures. But I don't have a home anymore. My father has pretty much disowned me, left me for dead. Running is useless, and fighting would be a bust.

I'm alone. Again.

"Are you alright?" My head snaps up, disoriented from the sudden question. The woman from before is staring at me, looking concerned.

"I'm fine, thank you for asking." I say automatically.

She smiles at me politely, her eyes warm. "You look like you have a lot on your mind." She jokes, chuckling softly into her delicate hand. It diffuses the air and I immediately relax for some unknown reason. I can't not talk to her.

I look away. "Is it that obvious?"

She nods sagely, long hair falling around her face like liquid silk. "I'm afraid so."

Great, even a stranger can tell I'm out of it. "You looked scared." She notes. My body stiffens at her words. Did I look that bad? I try to relax my features. Brushing a shaky hand through my hair, I feign nonchalance. "How so?"

"Your hands are shaking."

I spread my hands out in front of me, and sure enough, they're trembling like a diabetic without sugar. My own body is more honest than I am.

"Okay, so I'm afraid." I admit begrudgingly.

She seems curious. "But why do you fear? Do you fear for your life, or...?"

"I'm...I'm not sure." And it was true. Of course I feared for my life when I just got it back. But I've already died once before.

Yet...

It won't matter if I tell her. She won't understand what I'm talking about anyways, and I'll never see her again after this. We'll be two strangers, never to meet again. I need someone to talk to, to unwind for a brief moment. The thought gives me the courage to speak.

"I'm afraid that I'm going to be alone again." I confess. All the noise around us seems to have disappeared with that little word—alone. She won't understand what I mean by 'again'.

Compassion and—empathy?—mark her eyes with ancient grief, like a mourning angel. I feel bare under the scrutiny. My fingers fiddle with the silver Nokia, turning it over in my hands absently to distract myself.

"I understand." And I know she does, not like when someone says so just to comfort you. Her words are weighted with eons of experience.

"But," she continues at my silence, "Don't you think fear is beautiful?"

I look at her in confusion. "I'm sorry?"

Her eyes lock onto mine. I find myself unable to look away, spellbound.

Her voice lowers to a hypnotic murmur, holding my attention instantly. "Fear is misunderstood. What mortals cannot understand is that fear saves you in the end. You should confront your fear. Run to that which you fear and you will be set free."

My head is in a daze. Her words wrap themselves around my brain like loving arms, embracing my mind. But a stubborn part of me fights through the haze. I get that fear makes you stronger, if you live through it. But...

"Isn't that suicidal?" I blurt aloud. Several people who walk past us give me weird looks, hurrying away from where we sit. Blood rushes to my cheeks as I stew in embarrassment.

She looks amused, watching me curiously.

"Suicide?" The woman repeats with a casual air, smirking. "What a human notion." She leans closer to me. I'm stuck to my seat, unable to move as she pins me with her eyes. "Does such a thing matter to those like you and I?" She whispers, giving me a conspiratorial smile.

I can only blink. "What do you mean—?"

"The train to xx will arrive shortly. The train to xx will arrive shortly."

My head turns to see people lining up near the platform a few yards away from me. I entertain the thought of just missing the train and walking away. But I'm being watched.

Realizing I just completely ignored the strange woman, I turn to face her with an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry, but what were you saying—?"

There's no one there. Empty air sits beside me as people rush to and fro around me. Blinking wildly, I rub at my eyes. Bullet trains fly by, and I can see my reflection in the glass as they whizz past. I'm alone.

She was just there. Could she have walked away? But I would have heard or felt her leave. I'm not going crazy, right? It wasn't a hallucination brought on by the stress of the situation? I mean, her appearance was strange to begin with, but it's as if all my thoughts were cast aside while she was there, like I was in a trance.

I don't need impending insanity on top of everything else. I'll...I'll just ignore it for right now. I have a train to catch.

With a shake of my head, I reach for my bag...

* * *

There it is. My feet stay grounded where they are as I linger outside the iron gate towering over me, studying the mansion from between the bars. The house—or the, "haunted mansion", as the locals like to call it—was located on the far outskirts of the town, buried behind a small forest of trees overlooking civilization. A lake of water separates it from the road. Classy and old-fashioned, it is definitely something I would never get used to. Being here in person is...different. It feels like the set of a movie, something artificial.

Fictional.

I took the bullet train to the major city close to town, then took a taxi, and finally decided to walk the rest of the way. It gave me time to myself, and who knew how much of that I would have after this? It delayed the inevitable, if only for a short while.

The sun had set by the time I reached town, but I was in no particular hurry. Why rush fate? I ended up lost a few times and had to ask for directions from locals or just anyone I was lucky enough to pass by in the area. It seems like my directionally-challenged ways have carried over from my last life, unfortunately.

Each and every time I asked for directions, though, I received the same reactions. They ranged anywhere from disbelief to utter horror. An elderly man literally crossed himself when I asked.

"You want to go _there_?"

"Are you sure you're not mistaken?"

"God help you, child."

How did Yui—I need a better way of naming her now, it's my name too—not get the message clearly telling her to GTFO? Ugh, Mayumi's text-speak is contagious. But it's accomplished its purpose.

GTFO, indeed.

I understand that she—I—had nowhere else to go, but I would have stopped for a moment and thought to myself, "Hey, this is really suspicious. Maybe I should ask around for more information before going." Or something like that. Research is one of the things I'm actually good at. After all, the Internet is a _thing_. Do a quick search, figure things out. If nothing came up, well, at least you tried? If I had the mercy of ignorance on my side, then I would have done at least that much, superstitious townsfolk or not.

Not that it will do anything for me now...

I sigh, leaning heavily as I cling to the iron bars like a prisoner. The gate shakes, reverberating hollowly. It gives way under my hands, parting with a dull creak. I step back in surprise as it continues to slowly open. Well, I guess I shouldn't really be surprised by anything anymore.

I stand tall, regarding the mansion with a fluttering heart and sweating palms. It's now or never, and I doubt I have never.

With a deep breath I pass through the gates, rolling my bag behind me along the smooth cobblestone. My footsteps echo darkly as I cross the path. I walk past stone fountains depicting various mythological beasts, and if this were any other time I would be all over the architecture of the place. It's difficult to appreciate the aesthetics when you're scared shitless.

Thunder booms over my head in the darkening sky, startling me. I look up just as a flash of lightning streaks across the atmosphere.

Oh, you've got to be kidding me. Rain begins to fall, hitting the top of my head with thick drops. It's going to soak my clothes at this rate.

Look, even God thinks this is a bad idea.

I quicken my pace, abandoning all poise as I race to the entrance under the threat of wet socks. My rolling bag drags behind me awkwardly on the slick ground.

"Made it!" I bend over, panting in the alcove of the front door. My shirt clings to my front, but it isn't see-through thankfully. That final stretch was freaking long, don't let anyone tell you different. The storm continues, Mother Nature deciding she hates me.

Straightening, I gaze up at the huge door in front of me in fearful awe. I don't touch it, knowing that the moment I do the door will open and my life will forever be changed. This is what my life has been leading up to.

I pull my phone out of my jeans pocket, going through my contacts list with a heavy heart. My fingers hover over the button pad. What would be the last thing that I could say, that would mean everything I need it to without saying anything at all? Slowly, my hands type out a message.

-Mayumi: 'I love you. See you.'

Sent.

I shove it back into my pocket, tugging my shirt down so the bulge isn't noticeable. I give myself a last once-over, feeling silly. What, am I trying to impress my future tormentors?

Returning my attention to the door, I steel myself. This is it.

No going back.

I place my palm against the door. Almost immediately it falls back with a groan, opening the slightest bit for me to fit through. I knew it was coming, but it still freaks me out all the same. Knowing the scary bits doesn't make them any less frightening.

Pushing the door open wider I slip through the crack, pulling my bag behind me. I squint into the darkness.

Candlelight illuminates the foyer. Pillars of marble stand on either side of me. A luxurious carpet of red stretches all the way to the grand staircase at the end of the hall. Gargoyles of stone sit vigilantly on both sides. A magnificent chandelier hangs from the ceiling, lit with millions of candles, but it does nothing to warm the interior. It's beautiful...but cold.

It looks very much like a place where vampires may live. Very vintage, very aristocratic. The air is still. Silent as the grave—okay, so not the time for humor. It's just like me to make jokes in a life-death situation.

I probably shouldn't go alerting every one of my presence right away, if they haven't already sensed me by now. That would be like ringing the dinner bell. I gulp, taking a step farther into the house. The door shuts ominously behind, locking me in. My pulse races fast. Oh god, I don't want to be here. I'm like the lamb that walked into a den of lions.

Calm down, it's okay. We'll be fine, you'll see. Deep breaths. In...and out. In...and out.

With a calm I don't feel I tread across the plush rug, examining my surroundings like I'm on another school field trip. Or museum, seeing how old this house is.

Thunder crashes loudly outside, shaking my bones. Perfect weather for some horror.

I stop in front of the staircase landing, looking around myself cautiously. Now what? I inspect the area; all the rooms around the area are cast in shadow, nondescript and vague. What's on my right looks like a small parlor, probably for guests, but I'm not entirely sure. I can't make anything out in this darkness, and I don't want to explore. I don't dare to take my phone out, lest it be seen and taken from me.

If I'm lucky—or unlucky—to get that far.

Through the brief light I can see a long hallway on the left of the staircase, before going dark again. I shiver, wrapping my arms around myself. I hate the dark. No, more than that, I hate being alone in the dark. It's a fear that has never left me as a child, and had only gotten worse after death. But you have to what you have to do, and that means moving on.

My legs feel like jelly, all jittery and wobbling as I shuffle slowly down the hallway like a blind man. I can do this. I'm strong, I've been through worse. I've died before, so what's there to fear?

I think that, but I'm still scared. Dying once doesn't make you any less used to it. I like life, so I'd like to try staying alive for as long as possible. Keyword being, 'try'.

And there are worse fates than death.

My head knocks painfully against something hard. "Oomph!" I stagger backwards, hissing as I hold my throbbing head.

Guess who found the door?

I scrunch my eyes, blocking the pain as I pat the door blindly for a handle of some sort. My hand closes around something circular and cold—a doorknob. Fumbling with it, I finally open the ridiculously tall door in front of me. It opens silently, sweeping away from me with ease.I guess the rich need bigger doors so they can fit their egos through.

I step inside, leaving the door open behind me just in case. My eyes slowly adjust to the dimness of the room, as it isn't so dark that it's pitch black. It looks like...a living room? If I were to guess, judging by the shapes of chairs and…is that a TV? Who knew vampires watched television...? I wonder if they play video games...

With my hands outstretched in front of me like a zombie—so I don't hit anything again—I make my way through the room. Lightning flashes bright through the windows, falling across the floor. I glimpse the silhouette of a person in the dark, lying unnaturally still on the chaise in front of me.

I'm hit with a vague sense of déjà vu. I swear I've seen this before, somewhere. But I can't remember exactly _who_ it is. Can you blame me? I died, so I can't be expected to remember everything in my past life, much less a "game".

But I know waking whoever this is is probably not in my best interest. Let sleeping vampires lie.

Maybe I should just walk out the door like nothing happened. Just as I finish the thought, my legs start to move forward by themselves, forcing me in the direction of the sleeping figure. WHAT. NO. I DIDN'T ASK FOR THIS.

I try to hold myself back in vain, flailing to physically keep myself from going any closer as I'm dragged forward. It's like my legs have a mind of their own, bending me to their will. My heart feels like its being torn and twisted from the inside out, pounding loud in my ears. The sound drowns everything out as I find myself drawn to the person. I...I can't stop! It's as if i'm connected to a string that leads only to him.

I inch closer and closer until I find myself standing in front of the couch. My hands are clutching at my chest through the pain, and I feel something cold. My fingers find my rosary, clasping it tightly to me like a lifeline.

And the pressure suddenly vanishes, leaving me unbalanced. Time seems to slow as I fall forward, my eyes open in terror. Gravity drags me down.

"Ugh!" The air is knocked out of me as I land on top of him, splayed awkwardly over his body. My face is pressed into his chest. I groan, my voice smothered by his shirt.

"Nnn…what the hell….?" A voice breathes in the shadows, shifting underneath me. Cloth rustles in the darkness.

Squirming, I push myself up using either side of him. Lightning flashes in our faces and my eyes meet his for a split second—jade, I think dumbly. Strands of striking maroon, casually disheveled. Skin reminiscent of alabaster, smooth and unblemished. His face doesn't look real, sculpted from a dream. Those eyes stare back at me, unblinking in surprise. I'm frozen in place as we just gaze at each other silently in the dark.

Tilting his head to the side in confusion, he looks up at me balanced precariously above him as I am. He looks almost _boyish_ like this.

"...Aah? You...You have the audacity to interrupt my rest?" He asks lowly, the threat clear in his voice. And my first impression dies right then and there.

He glares at me, eyes flickering menacingly in the dark room. My heart rate must be over the roof with how hard it's beating. I try not to make any sudden movements, holding my breath in. My arms strain under the pressure of his gaze.

This is bad, very bad. I didn't just wake him; I fell on him, practically assaulted him (unintentionally)! He might kill me just for that alone. Should I speak up, or is it safer to not say anything?

Without looking away from me once, he sniffs the air. His eyes narrow, his face twisting ever so slightly. "...A human girl, here of all places?" He mutters to himself, sending me a contemplative look. Something in his demeanor shifts, the air tightening, his eyes lit with mischief now.

I have no idea what that means. His mind must have shifted gears though because he longer looks like he wants to murder me slowly and painfully, but more like i'm something he wants to try eating. I can't tell if that's any better.

Before I can try anything, a hand slips over the front of my shirt and yanks me down harshly until our faces are only mere inches away. I don't even have time to react. Our noses almost touch as he leans forward in the scant space between us, close enough to feel his cool breath on my lips. "You came at the right time..." His voice turns husky with need.

Nope. Nope. Do not want.

Chuckling, he stares into me with hooded lids, his eyes flashing with desire—hunger. I gape at him in horrified fascination, my breath catching in my throat. His lips pull into a dangerous smirk. "I was getting thirsty."

I'm so screwed.

* * *

A/N: Please read and review if you enjoyed it! Thank you to everyone one reviewed/favorited/followed this story! I appreciate every single one of you.

10 bucks if you know who that woman was; it's a tough one. And I have plans for "her" and Mayumi, even "Father". The pairing isn't Ayato, so don't worry. I'm not saying it isn't either, if that's what you want. I don't know yet, sorry! Let me know what you're thinking.

All Sakamaki's show up next chapter, and finally the plot can get going. Interactions and school next time!

-ano


	4. AN: Soon

This is just an author's note, so I apologize for getting any hopes up! You were probably all going, "An update? Yippee!" I totally wish it was myself.

I just wanted to inform all those who are reading that I will have something up soon enough, it's just that I've been tons of busy. I have about 7,000 words and going for the next chapter, so it's going to be a longer chapter just for you guys.

These guys aren't exactly the easiest to introduce all at once since they're all so distinctive, and so...colorful, in their own ways. *cough, understatement* So getting that out of the way was a mental block on the road to finishing this, but I'm happy to say that I've made progress for all of you. I was stuck, but i'm getting there, so please be patient with me! I don't have any set date for the next update, but it shall be sooner than later.

I really do hate introductions, it's quite the chore, and this one is particularly long; I just want to get on with the story to be honest. The introductions always seem to go along the same lines regardless.

An update will be coming soon, so count on seeing something interesting stuff unravel. :)

See you,

ano


End file.
